Lady of the Labyrinth
by Ismira Daugene
Summary: A one-shot based off a challenge by Chibi-no-oneesan aka Demonsaya.  The Labyrinth demands Sarah returns to assume her role as Lady of the Labyrinth.  Evil Jareth warning...


**Lady of the Labyrinth**

**by: Ismira Daugene**

_**Labyrinth**_** (c) Henson & Froud**

**o O o O o O o**

Sarah Williams sat on her bed, staring at the mirror on her vanity. Pictures of her mother and herself and news clippings of her mother's Broadway career decorated the white painted frame. It wasn't the pictures or clippings she was looking at though. Where normally there was her pale faced, dark haired reflection staring back at her, Sarah saw a man with a wealth of fair blond hair, his slanted eyes under winged eyebrows stared back into her hazel gaze. She slowly rose and moved toward the mirror; the man watched her approach, smirking. "What did you just say?" Sarah asked not believing that she was talking to people in mirrors in the first place.

"I asked if you are ready?" the man's cultured voice with a hint of a British accent repeated.

"Ready for what?" Sarah asked sitting in the chair before her vanity.

"Need I quote? _'Even if you get to the center, you'll never get out again'_"

"But, I beat your labyrinth."

"No Sarah, you beat me, but no one has ever beaten the labyrinth."

"What do you mean? I made it out! I'm here in my room!"

"Temporarily…"

Sarah's face paled, "What do you mean by that?"

"The labyrinth demands its Lady's return."

"No, I won't go back."

Jareth smirked again, "You don't have a choice."

"You can't make me!" Sarah rose from the chair.

Jareth's hand quickly shot out of the mirror and clasped around Sarah's wrist. Sarah stared in shock at the arm coming out of her mirror. "How…?"

Jareth's smile turned unpleasant. Sarah's breath hitched at the villainous smirk and tried to tug her arm free of his iron grasp. Jareth's other hand appeared on her vanity and he used the leverage to pull himself out of the mirror into her room, never letting go of her wrist. He stood from his position on the vanity and took a step toward her. Sarah took a step back, fear clearly written across her face. "It's not fair," she whimpered pleading with the icy blue eyes staring her down.

"I assure you, Sarah, it is quite fair. In fact it's more fairness than _I_ would have allowed. The labyrinth has allowed you three years to mature and become an adult in your own world. She has allowed you three years to finish your schooling, to say goodbye to this pitiful world you call home."

Sarah shook her head, "No, I – I didn't know! I won't go back with you!"

Jareth jerked the wrist in his grasp, causing Sarah to stumble forward into his arms. He wrapped his other arm tightly around her, bruising her ribs. "The labyrinth will not be defied, Sarah. She is a demanding mistress who does not take 'no' for an answer," he whispered threateningly in her ear.

A shiver spread throughout her body, though she couldn't tell if it was from his words, his proximity, or the cool breath that swept over her as he whispered. "Please…" she looked up into his unforgiving eyes, knowing her pleading was useless.

"Come, we must go before the labyrinth is displeased," he said pulling her with him toward the mirror.

Sarah let him lead; he slipped through the mirror, his hand still grasped firmly around her arm. Just as she was about to go through the mirror, she made a last ditch attempt to pull away, using all her strength and bracing herself with her free arm against the vanity. Jareth would have none of it though and gave a vicious pull. A loud snap was heard and Sarah screamed as pain shot like lightening up and down her arm. Her fingers disappeared through the mirror as her bedroom door opened with a bang. Robert Williams rushed in looking about for the source of his daughter's scream of anguish. His eyes widened as he realized she wasn't in her room. "Sarah!" he called out.

No one answered; nothing moved. Robert looked frantically around the room and noticed a letter on the desk.

_The Lady of the Labyrinth has returned to her rightful place. The powers that be thank you for your assistance in watching over her the past three years and offer this crystal in gratitude._

Robert looked up to see a crystal sphere on the vanity that hadn't been there a moment ago. He gazed at it curiously, setting the letter down and reaching for the crystal. The moment his fingers touched it, the world turned upside down and time re-ordered itself. From that moment on, no one ever remembered that there had been a teenage girl named Sarah Williams. No one remembered that she used to play pretend in the park. No one remembered that Linda and Robert Williams ever had a daughter. The only thing that remained was a white vanity with a mirror that was said to be haunted; for if one sat before it and listened carefully, they could hear the pleading cries of a girl begging for help.

**o O o O o O o**

**A/N:** This is just a short one-shot created in response to a challenged issued by **Demonsaya** aka **Chibi-no-oneesan **in her deviantART journal. The challenge was to write a fanfic or draw a piece of art where Sarah's vanity mirror is the main plot device. Hopefully I succeeded…

Oh and this is my first actual attempt at portraying an evil Jareth. Please let me know how I did!

Thanks!

Ismira Daugene

P.S.  
I have decided to make this one-shot into a challenge. I don't have enough time in my life at the moment to write a sequel but I left it open for one. So if you want to write a sequel, whether it be a short 1,000 word one-shot or a 100,000 word novel, I'd be glad to read it! Just drop me a message or a review telling me you've written it! ^_^

Thanks to **Good Work** for the idea!


End file.
